WESTERN Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade says his side, like last year, will use the motivation of Friday night’s devastating preliminary final loss to become a better team in 2010.

While disappointment was Eade’s overriding emotion following the seven-point loss to St Kilda, the coach also spoke of his pride for his playing group.

“We had our opportunities to win, didn’t we?” Eade said after the match.

“[We had] more scoring shots and I thought the game from us was full of character and full of courage.

“Everything we planned the players carried out for, I suppose, 95 per cent of the time, to the letter of the law.”

Despite his side winning the disposal count, contested possessions (147-130), inside 50s (56-40) and having more shots at goal, the Saints got home on the back of four goals to Nick Riewoldt.

The Bulldogs had looked in trouble when St Kilda booted the first three goals after half time but, like all good teams, they responded.

“I think the players showed a lot of character and a lot of courage when St Kilda kicked those three goals and got a bit of a break,” Eade said.

“Just to absorb that for the next 10 minutes and then to be able to jag a couple back as well just showed the character of the group.

“Unfortunately, you know, a point down with a minute to go showed the game could have gone either way.”

Eade said his men were “shattered” after going into the game genuinely believing they could win, despite being outsiders.

He believes the loss, a year after the defeat to Geelong in a preliminary final, will spur the group.

“I think there’s a lot of positives and a lot of positives going forward,” he said.

“We’ve matured from last year and I’ve got no doubt we’ll get better again. I’ve got no doubt that this group will sting from tonight like they stung from last year.

“I don’t think we’re far away, to be honest. We proved tonight, I mean for all intents and purposes, we could’ve, should’ve won.”

While the coach wasn’t asked about a key forward, Eade brought up the discussion himself.

“I think our defence is okay, midfield’s okay,” he said.

“Everyone says, you know, [you need a] tall forward. Obviously you’d love to have one, but you’re not going to have one just for the sake of having it.

“I mean we still get enough chances so it wasn’t a lack of a tall forward tonight; it was a lack of ability to kick straight and we normally kick straight.”

The Bulldogs booted 7.11 but Eade said had it been 9.9, they would have won the match.

A few of those missed chances came in the first term, when his side dominated several passages of play.

“You’ve got to take your chances, don’t you?” he said.

“[At quarter time] it was 2.6, so probably at least two of those we should have kicked to make it four [goals]. That would have been a handy break.”